President Yoon Suk Yeol visited the southeastern city of Daegu on Monday, where he pledged bold support measures to create "revolutionary changes" in the city, including the opening of a new airport by 2030.

The announcement was made during the 16th government-public debate, where Yoon emphasized the need to innovate the city's outdated industrial structure and to improve its transportation infrastructure.

Referring to a previously announced plan for the construction of a new airport in Daegu and surrounding North Gyeongsang Province, Yoon promised to accelerate the project to ensure a 2030 opening.

The president stressed that the new airport will serve as a catalyst for innovation of the region's transportation infrastructure, with plans for a high-speed rail line connecting the new airport, western Daegu and nearby Uiseong.

Yoon also pledged state support to transform Daegu's industrial landscape to one centered around robots and future mobility, and to establish the city as an advanced base for research and development in artificial intelligence(AI) and big data.